Added: 12/27/2005 |
Male infertility causes and how to Treat ThemAn average of 15-20% of couples is affected by infertility. Infertility is defined as the failure of becoming pregnant after a year of unprotected intercourse. Infertility can be caused by male factors, female factors and both, male and female factors. Male infertility causes represent about 1/3 of all possible factors. Male infertility causes are quite diverse. One of them is blockage of sperm. The vas that carries sperm from the testicles to the penis can be blocked by infection, vasectomy, injury or congenital anomaly.
Most common infections that can affect male genital system are sexually transmitted infections (STI). Other infections that may affect testicles are smallpox, mumps, other viral infections, tuberculosis, leprosy and prostatitis. Uncontrolled chronic diseases, such as diabetes, can affect hormonal balance and sperm production. It may also affect erectile function of the patient, which also leads to infertility. Erectile dysfunctions cause male infertility because failure in getting and maintaining an erection results in failure of getting the sperm out.
Besides chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases), erectile dysfunctions may be caused by different hormonal disorders (hypogonadism and testosterone deficiencies) and paralysis (the injury of spinal cord). Exposure to harmful substances, such as radiation and different chemicals can affect spermatogenesis. Spermatogenesis (the production of sperm) lasts about 74 days. That is why sperm analysis must be repeated after three months of avoiding exposure to harmful substances.
Severe injuries to testicles may also have tragic consequences on sperm production and erectile function. Varicocele represents varicose dilatation of scrotal vein. The varicosity damages the blood flow to testicles slowing or stopping sperm production. This problem can be treated surgically. Two of most common male infertility causes are oligospermia and azoospermia.
Ejaculated sperm normally contains between 20 and 200 million spermatozoa per ml. Sperm count below 20 million is considered low sperm count, also called oligospermia. Oligospermia and azoospermia may be temporarily or permanently produced by various factors: high fever, high temperatures, cryptorchidism, certain drugs or poisons, smoking, excessive alcohol and drugs, infections, malnutrition, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
A frequent condition that causes oligospermia is retrograde ejaculation (semen flows backwards into the bladder). Drugs that may affect spermatogenesis are androgens (such as testosterone), aspirin when taken for a long time, chlorambucil, colchicine, corticosteroids, cotrimoxazole, cyclophosphamide, estrogens taken to treat prostate cancer, marijuana, medroxyprogesterone, methotrexate, some types of antidepressants, nicotine, nitrofurantoin, opioids, spironolactone, sulfasalazine, and anabolic steroids.
Other male infertility causes can be congenital anomalies of male genital system, genetic, endocrine and familial disorders such as Klinefelter's syndrome, Young's syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and adrenal hyperplasia. Male infertility causes can be quite different. Many of them can be treated or avoided, that is why it is important to consult a professional in order to diagnose the disorder and determine the proper solution.
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